Pre Historic Rock Paintings

Question 1

INTRO (1) - 1 point

Answer 1

1. When the basic needs of food, water, clothing and shelter were fulfilled people felt the need to express themselves and they did so by painting and drawing. They are the oldest art forms used by people.

Question 2

General Features of Pre Historic Paintings

Answer 2

1. Mundane events from everyday life to sacred and royal images have been depicted.
2. Scenes include Hunting, dancing, music, animal fighting and other household scenes.
3. Multiple layers of paintings - Newer ones painted on top of older ones. At Bhimbhetka, we see as many as 20 layers of paintings.

Question 3

Art in the Old Stone Age (6)

Answer 3

1. The people of the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic ages practised painting.
2. Prehistoric art appears at several places, but Bhimbetka in MP is a striking site.
3. Situated near Bhopal, it has over 500 hundred rock shelters.
4. At Bhimbetka, the rock paintings extend from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Mesolithic age and in some series even up to recent times.
5. Many birds, animals, and human beings are painted. These paintings depict a the hunter/ gatherer economy.
6. These paintings are drawn in a realistic manner.

Question 4

Mesolithic Rock Paintings (6)

Answer 4

Mesolithic period lasted from 10000 BC to 6000 BC.
Features -
1. The largest number of paintings belong to this phase.
2. Hunting scenes pre dominate - people hunting in groups with pointed sticks, bows and arrows.
3. Various animals have been painted in naturalistic style.
4. Community dances have been depicted with both children and old people. Pictures depict a sort of family life.
5. Hand prints, fist prints have also been depicted.
6. Eg. - Kariyoor rock art paintings, Lakhudiyar caves, Almora dist. UK.

Question 5

Timeline

Answer 5

1. Pleistocene - Humans emerged, Holocene - Present Era
2. Paleolithic period - 2.5L to 10000 BCE
   * Lower Paleolithic - 2.5L to 1L BCE
   * Middle Paleolithic - 1L to 40000 BC
   * Upper Paleolithic - 40000 BC to 10000 BC.
3. Mesolithic period - 10000 BC to 6000 BC.
4. Neolithic period - 6000 BC to 2500 BC.
5. Harappan period - 2500 BC to 1800 BC.

Question 6

Upper Paleolithic Period (7)

Answer 6

1. Upper paleolithic period lasted from 4000 BC to 1000 BC.
2. This period saw a proliferation of artistic activities.
3. In India, the earliest paintings have been reported from Upper Paleolithic period.
4. Huge animal figures such as tigers, rhinos, boars are depicted.
5. Also Humans in Stick figure form.
6. Geometric patterns have also been painted.
7. The green paintings are of dancers and red ones of hunters.

Question 7

Conclusion (2)

Answer 7

1. Paintings from the remote past, do not lack pictorial quality. Despite various limitations, there is a charm in simple rendering of scenes, and depiction of life events.
2. These paintings help us in understanding the way of life and thought process of primitive people.